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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


1.0 


I.I 


■-  IIIM 

■  50     '""^= 


1.8 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


V- 


A 


{./ 


C 


A 


-% 


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1.25      1.4    ji6 

■« 6"     

► 

^ 


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9) 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


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r<r 


rjr4i^ 


^0 

6 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


n 


n 


0 

□ 
n 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagie 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur^e  et/ou  pelliculie 


Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


D 


Cartes  g^ographiques  en  couleur 


Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  blaue  ou  noirel 


Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relii  avec  d'autres  documents 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Lareiiurs  serree  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge  intdrleure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouties 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  page-  n'ont 
pas  iti  film^es. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl6mentaires; 


The 
toll 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6ti  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vu«  bibliographic;ue,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m^thode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqubs  ci-dessous. 


□    Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

|~~|    Pages  damaged/ 


n 


n 


Pages  endommagies 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pelliculies 


0    Pages  discoloured,  staineu  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcolordes,  tacheties  ou  piqu^es 

□    Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ddtachees 

SShowthrough/ 
Transparence 

G    Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Quaiiti  inigale  de  I'impression 

□    Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 

□    Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


The 
posi 
oft 
film 


Ori( 
beg 
the 
slor 
oth( 
first 
slor 
oril 


The 
sha 
TIN 

whi 

Mai 

diff 

enti 

be^ 

rig 

req 

me 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata.  une  pelure. 
etc..  ont  iti  film^es  d  nouveau  de  facon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmi  au  taux  de  rMuction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

y 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


ails 

du 

idifier 

une 

lage 


The  copy  filmed  here  hes  been  reproduced  thenks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Natlonai  Library  of  Canada 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  Oiiginai  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


L'exempiaire  filmt  fut  reproduit  grdce  A  la 
g4n6rosit6  de: 

Bibliothdque  nationale  du  Canada 


Las  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet6  de  l'exempiaire  film6,   )t  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimte  sont  fiim^s  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmis  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empiainte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
fiimds  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seui  clich6,  il  est  filmd  d  partir 
de  I'angle  supdrieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n^cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

N 


CLIMATE  S 


O  V     T  H  E 


N  O  1  i  T  IT  W  E  S  T ; 


H  E  t  N  G 


CONDENSED  NOTES  OF  A  LECTURE 


II  K  I.  I  \  F  II  EI)     H  y 


HON.      S.      GARFIELD  E 


Delegate  in  Congress  from  Washington  Territory. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

1871. 


Ringwiilt  &  Brown,  Prs. 


'i  1 


(M 


is 


-<—-'=; 


i  'y 

(V 


G 


'^^ 


llOf 


W%M^ 


C  L  I  M  A  '1^  E  S 


(»  K  r  II  V. 


NO  \i  T  IT  W  EST; 


K  K  J  .\  r; 


CONDENSED  NOTES  OF  A  LECTURE 


n h: I.I  rr.  RF n    ii  v 


HON.      S.      GARFIELDE, 


Oflcyale  ill  t^ongrexii  from  H'a^lthif/ton  Vi  rritory. 


PHILADEM'UI  A 


1871, 


A 

Pari 

vith 
Iviiii 
villi' 
fliiil 

S( 
<li'ns 
iiiiin 
West 
iin'a^ 

Wl'Sti 

Ihtii 
Ti 

<lllSl'l 

liiiiii! 
vhci 
he  (li 
It 
VAvi 
alrca 
iiiiifi 
liiirti 

CillllJ 

ami  ^ 
of  (•> 
lllinil 

iuipr 


T  II  K 


CLIMATES  OF  THE  .VORTIIWEST. 


An  almost  (•(iiitiminiis  nsiili'iiff  \'<.y  uii,y,  tli.ni  twenty  \ri\\y  upon  (ho 
rarilic  slu|i('  inid  in  tlic  inlci'idr  n'i:ion>  >.['  tln'  ('(>ntincnt,  iimch  of  which 
<iim'  \v:is  spent  in  travel  hy  sea  and  land,  has  himiuht  me  fiico  to  face 
with  nearly  all  tlie  toji(iL;ra|iliieal  ami  (  limatie  eimditions  of  the  country 
lyinu'  west  of  the  Mississijiiii.  These  in  all  essential  |>arlieul-  rs  differed  so 
Midel\  from  those  of  the  Atlantic  ret^ions.  that  ohservation  was  awakened 
find  ini|iiiry  into  tlie  causes  of  dith'rence  stin     lated. 

Some  (d'  the  results  id'  these  ohsi'rvatiniis  ami  im|uiries  have  ho(>n  con- 
densed in  the  form  id' a  leetiuH'.  liri(  I'  notes  of  which  are  now  jmhiishod 
more  for  the  heiieiit  of  those  who  are  iiiijiiirinu  for  new  homes  in  th(>  far 
west,  than  I'or  seieiitiiie  elimatolooist>.  If  they  shall  contrihute  in  any 
measure  to  a  hetter  popular  understandinu'  of  the  (dimaiic  conditions  of  the 
western  half  id'  the  Continent,  the  ohject  of  their  pnhlication  will  have 
heen  aceompli>iied. 

Tlie  /mis  stated  in  the  I'ollowiiiL;-  paiies  may  he  n  lied  upon  as  suhstan- 
tially  Correct — iiothini;-  havim:'  heen  set  down  as  suidi  except  the  iiersomd 
^'hservat:  ins  of  the  writer  and  the  experience.^  of  most  roliahle  men  lonu' 
lluniliar  with  uiven  districts  ot'  counti'y.  The  reaNunableness  of  v<(iisrs 
ulien  prest'uti'd.  and  their  suiliciency  to  produce  the  results  stated,  must 
he  driermined  hy  the  reader. 

it  will  not  he  elainu'd  that  the  country  known  a.~  the  •■  (Iroat  West  " 
taken  as  a  whole,  will  comjiare  favoi'ahly.  acre  i'or  acre,  with  the  reuion 
already  ])opulated.  J)Ut  in  deli-htfuliiess  and  salnhrity  of  climate  ma"-- 
mluvnce  ot'  scenery  ami  variety  of  resources,  much  of  it  far  e.xcecds  any 
liorlinn  ,  1'  the  country  lyin--  east  of  the  ■' Fitln'r  of  Waters;"  while  the 
composition  of  the  atmosphere,  the  general  temperature  and  the  suhlimo 
and  strongly  contrasted  scenery  produce  an  e.xiiheranec  id' spirits,  a  luxury 
of  existence,  an  intense  enjoyment  oi' animal  lil'e  nowhere  else  experienced 
uiion  the  (jintinent. 

\\  e  enjoy  ],\  contrast.  Hence  our  stril'e  to  out-dre.ss.  out-huild  and  out- 
improve  our  neiyhhors.     A  brown-stone  house  and  costly  apparel  would 


4 


jirtnnl  hut  little  siitisrii(ti<iii  tn  tln'  ]MiSM's,x(ir  in  acity  wluTt-  mII  the  (Iwciiiii;;^ 
and  ,iiiii;ii'f]  (if  the  iic.'j.lc  were  cxacllv  aiiki'.  llnuM'  tlic  ciinstaiit  rll'iirt 
at  tlic  iiiiii|ii('  and  nipvci.  as  \\r\\  ;!.•<  iIh'  licisiitil'ul.  Tlu'  valley  wliicli,  iiikiu 
llif  plains  uf  I  irnini>,  wiinid  a|iii.:ir  taini'  and  iiiinnticc.iMc.  Ix  cdnii's  cx- 
tronit'lv  inttTotini:-  wlirn  set  in  a  rim  nl'  Ipri-ilini:  nimintains.  Tl 
whicli.  with  its   rrt'ilv  ^ll(l^(  <.  mirv  lianLs  and  ^taunant  wattTs,  lit'cm 


IC     l.llvO 


nc-  ail 


ilij.ct  id'  av 


iTMon    III  a  cnnntvv 


Hat 


I'-ilit'd 


iiiu   nnilivcr-ilit'd   |irairi('s,  >|iriML;s 


iiitii  life  and  at  cuicc  challrii'^i's  aliiiilinii  when  Mil  iniiiidtil  liy  ]irlil)Iy 
slinrcs.  Ill'  is  {'■Mind  m.-tiiiii:  aninii^'  rurks  m-  ri|i|iliiii:  to  the  lii'i'c/r  in  a 
country  divciviliid  liy  hill  and  d  dc  |irairic  and  Wnndland.  ("niitrasl  i-tho 
ruk'  lit'  tilt.'  Wi'st  as  tainciic-s  and  uniUiiinily  arc  i>l'  tho  Mi>sis>iinii  vallry 
and  iniudi  nf  the  Mast. 

JJiit.  as  with  the  ciiiiiirant  the  ii^rt'iil  >ii|ici'S(d(>  the  iiici'dy  hcautit'iil ; 
and  as  iiimi.  rainu'iil,  health  and  t'nint'iit  an'  the  nlijccts  sniifiht  hy  tlmsc 
who  leave  their  hmnrs  liir  a  liii'  in  the  West,  the  siihjeet  will  be  cinisidered 
ill  its  practical  and  ccdnnniical  aspects,  leaviiiLr  a  dixaissidii  id'  the  effect.^ 
dl'  varied  and  cimtrasted  scenery,  pure  water  and  hii:hly  (ixyL;eni/.cd  air 
upon  the  intellectual  and  moral,  .social  and  domestic  lil'e  ol'  a  people,  to 
the  possibilities  nt"  a  future  iKcasion. 

C'limatk.  in  its  more  extended  sense,  cmliraces  a  <_'reat  variety  of  plio- 
nouKMia.  Hut  two  of  these  can  be  i  veii  partially  considered  within  the 
limits  of  u  lecture,  viz.  :  totiptrnlurc  and  the  pniipltatinn  of  moinUtn-  iu 
the  form  of  rain  and  snow,  with  tlu'  causes  id'  their  nncipial  and  irregular 
distidiution  over  the  repiiiii  uinUr  eonsiderati'U. 

The  popular  mind  has  accepted  a  suppusitinn  that  dej^recs  of  latitude 
indicate  the  rel.itive  tempi'ratiire  iif  localities.  N\'hcii.  tliendiire.  it  is.-tated 
that  an  unknown  locality,  like  J'uut't  Sound  nr  IJritish  ( 'oliimbia,  lies  iu 
the  same  latitude   as    liabradnr  or  (.hieliec.  the   inferi'iici'   is  at  once  drawn 


that  it  pcisscsses  a  Itleak  and    iiihuspitahle   crimate.      In    puint    of  fact    ll 
conclusion    is  very  far   tVnm    the   truth.      Were   the  earth  a  perfect  sphen 


lis 


oU- 


withoiit  protuberances  to  interlere  with  the  circulatinn  nf  the  air,  or  c 
tinents  to  arrest  or  coiitnd  the  lurrciii.-.  nf  the  ucean.  then  iiiii;ht  ]ilacea 
in  correspoiidiiii:  lalitudi  >  have  the  >aine  i  liniatc  ;  but  there  exist  so 
manv  di>turliini:  caiisr-  lli.ii  ilir  detcrminalion  nf  local  {•liniates  by  aiialniiy 
or  inference  is  whnlly  iinprai-licable. 


raw 


In  orda-  to  present  climatie  irregularities  tn  the  eye  climatolouist.s  il 
upmi   the  surface  ol'  the  earth   certain   liin  >  termed    isot/n  riiiu/.  I'acli  lino 
passiiiLi'  throui:h   all   ]iniiit>  lia\iiiu  an  eipial   avcraLic  hiihhkI  temperature. 

iiied    I. -io! Ill  ml, 
I  i.-i>iliinv  Hill.      'I'he  isiitlua'al  and 


Other   liiii's,  iiidieatiiiL;    niiied   .•nuinin  r  teiiipi'i'at  urrs.  art'  ter 


wdiile  those  applicable  tn  iriiitir  are  calki 

is jchinieiial   lines,  which,  on   tin.'  ei-terii   portinii  nf  our  ('niitincnt.  fnlinw 


!i[i|irn\iiii;ilrl_v  tin'  liiii"'  n{'  latitiuli'.  liavc  ;i  rciiiiirkaltli'  tniid  tn  tlic  iidrth- 
Wi'^t  iil'tcr  li'Mviiiu'  llii'  nijinii  nl'  tlic  urcnt  lik's,  wliilc  in  iirmy  [liccs  (in 
till'  I'acilic  vir.\M  tlicv  run  nriirlv  imrtli  iiml  sinitli.     'I'ln   nnrtlicru  limit  (if 


.Iil;.l 


III'   \vh' 


;it  rulturi'.  wiiicli  is  tlic  isntlnnil  nf  ('i(t\  jmrsui's  u  very 
iii'\iiiu-  (■  iiii'-c  'icruss  the  Ciintinriii,  ('niiinii'iiciiiL:'  '>\\  ilic  pMcilic  cdast  at 
III.  7)1  N'..  ii  cxti'iiil^  ;is  I'll'  ni'i'lii  MS  |;it.  ."id"'  in  tlic  rcjiinn  ciist  of  tlio 
Kiicky  .M'iinit;iiii>.  |i;i-scs  nm'lli  nl'  l.;il>r  WinMip'tj:-.  ami  tli.'ncc  traverses 
till'  -niitli'i'ii  -JiiiH'  III'  tlu!  watcr-^lii  il  lictw.i'ii  Ilinlsiin's  li.iy  and  tlic  Lako 
Siqicriiir  li:i>iii.  until  it  rcadu-  ilic  lipiiulliulc  nf  .lames  liay,  wlicrc  it  I'litors 
a  n-uiiiH  kii'iwii  mily  In  huiili'Tnii'ii  ami  liuntci's.  Sn  alsu  flu'  isncliiiiR'nal 
liii.'.  wliii'li  pis^i's  tiu'nii'jh  the  city  iif  Nnrfnlk,  \'a..  in  lat.  IST",  crnsscs  tho 
iiuitli.'iii  cml  iif  N'.mcuuvcr  island,  in  lat.  .')P — a  dlircrcncc  of  I'lHirteon 
(Icirrccs.  'I'll  iiiidcrstaiid  tlio  rcasun  of  these  variations  nf  tenijieratiire, 
II  nrdcr  t'l  render  the  >tatcni"iit  of  fact  eredilile,  a  short  in((uiry  into 
tile  au 'ihi 's  wiiieh  eniiti'iil  tln'  distriluitinn  nf  heat  iini-t  lie  instituted. 
Cliinate-i,  ^11  i'ar  as  tcinpcratiiru  is  fnncerned.  depend   mainly  uiidii  th 


and  I 


roo 


cause: 


1st.   The  aetinii  nf  the  sun's  ravs  uiinii  the  surface  id'  the  earth. 

'Jil.   The  iiinvi'ineiits  nt'  the  e.artli  in  Its  urliit  and  U|inn  its  axis. 

!ld.  The  tii]ine|';ij,lii,-;(|  t'eaturc'  nf  the  earth  as  to  relative  elevatinu.  and 
the  jin.^itinii  and  eniifiutiratinn  nf  eniitinenlal  iiia.sses. 

Tn  [iPc-ciit  the  aetinii  nf  these  eaiisiV  in  their  order,  we  will  suppose  tho 
rotary  motion  of  the  earth  to  In'  ,-ii<pi'iided  and  its  entire  surface  covered 
with  water  of  a  uniform  d'pth.  The  clfect  nf  solar  heat  can  now  he  uh- 
served.  That  portion  of  the  -iirface  suhject  to  the  vertical  rays  of  the  sun 
heeomes  urcatly  heated,  while  tlm  reeioii,s  north  and  south  are  less  heated 
as  vnii  recede  from  the  eipiator  and  the  sun's  rays  -trike  the  surface  iiioro 
iililii|uelv.  The  atmosphere  within  the  tropics  imw  expamls  hy  heat,  and, 
lieceiiiine'  liehter.  ascends  into  the  upper  re^'.ions,  while  the  lower  and  cooler 
strata   ilnw  in  iVoui  the   north  and  smith  to  supply  the  vacuum.     Tl 


lUS   IS 


C'Stalili-hed  a  surtace  cm 


iiiu''  a  ci  1 


nuit  from  the  cooler  to  the  wanner  reeioiis,  eau.s- 
i-taiit  ii'Tth  wind  in  the  iiortluu'u  heini>pliere.  and  a  constant  south 
ih  of  the  e(|ii  itor.      \\'iihoiit  c'lUiiter  currents,  this  process  would 


wind  -oil 


'lie  nil  til"   entire   at 


mo-plure  in  the  e(|iiatoi'Ial  reeioiis  like  an  imineiiso 
iiiemitain  eh  liii.  liavine-  its  axial  line  on  the  cipiator  and  extciidine'  east 
and  West  around  th'  ulolie.  As  it  is.  this  [liliiiu'-up  jiroccs-;,  resultiiie'  frmu 
ill  se  atinosplieric  movements  and  the  rotary  motion  ol'  the  earth,  causes 
an  ii|U  itorlal  atninspherie  elevation  of  almiit  I'mir  miles.  l)Ut  as  the  heated 
air  ascends,  it  ifiws  olf  north  and  south,  down  the  slopes  of  this  atmospheric 
inounlain  vaiiije  until  it  reaches  reeious  of  uivater  cold  near  the  poles, 
wle,  re,  coiideii-iiiLi'.  it  '.:raduallv  reaches  the  surl'ace  ol'  the  earth  and  returns 


n^;iin  (ow;inU  the  i'i[Hiitnr  ii-  :i  ti'ld  -urrari'  I'lii  iriif.  TIiii-  ihc  >iiii|ili'  ndiipii 
of  lilt'  .■•im'jH  my-  wmild  imnliii'i  iMii»i;iiit  .v/^c/i^rc  cuiirnt..  IVmhi  tliciMilis 
toWiiiil-  till'  ciiuatiii'.  aii'l  (•(iii>taiit  tifijur  tiirniil-  I'lniii  ilir  i'(|iiitiii'  li.\vai'(l> 


tlu'  pule: 


'I! 


If  >aiiii'  < 


au>('  wciiilil  iH'iiliicr -.Miinuli  it  Miinlar  ori  aim-  iiinVt 


UK'lltM,  wllicll  will  l)i'  cnii^'hlt  rnl  III  ailotlii  r  |ila(«'.  Till'  aitiiHi  (if  ill.  villi's 
rnv^.  wlii'ii  takt'ii  ;il'i|ii'  a-  laiiilr.illiii^  tlic  (li-lilliiilii'ii  nl'  lical.  WkiiM  pivc 
»'(|Uiil  cliiiritic  cuinliti'ii'  ii|i'ii  ri|iial  lalil  inji'-.  It  will  nadilv  Iw  >,cii 
tli;>t  this  ciiii^laiit  arriai  ami  ai|iiii.ii-  riiriilal  inii  iiiu»l   im  ililV  llh'  ri^niv  nl' 

(he  pillar   i;uiiiii>   .Hid   ( 1    ill"    |i  iirlinl    >iirl'ai !'  llir   tr.i|iical    ili>trii'l«. 

Iiidi'i'd.  it  '.-  |iriliilili'  til  It  Wi'iT  tlii^  circiilatiiiij  inrt.'>trd.  ;iiiiiiial  lilr  wmild 
lii'Ciiiiu'  cxtiiu't  witliiii  till'  ti'ii|iii»  aiidaliiiM'  lat.  Ill',  iinitli  and  mhiiIi, 
K'iiviiii;  liiit  twn  iiari'iiw  lull-  of  llir  iMitir>  supfac,.  lialiiialilc 

II;i\iiiu  >i  itrd  llii  >iiii|ili'  ariinn  III'  llic  .-mr.-  heat  in  |iriidur!ii'^  arilal 
and  iicfaiiic  cin'rciil-  and  llic  d.>trilinliiiii  nl'  trin|i'Talni'i'  ii\ri'  tin  Mui'icc 
of  tliu  uliilii',  \\i'  will  n'stnrc  lli  ■  rdai'v  inntiiiii  nl'  tin'  I'artli  and  nl)>.'ivi' 
the  I'Hi'i't  III'  tlii>  di.-tiirliin;z  i':in.-i'.  It'  ynii  niiati'  lun  wliirl>  nl'  iinri|ii:d 
dianu'tiM's  lixrd  t'l  tlu'  same  axis,  ynii  will  at  unci'  |M'riTi\r  iliai  ilm  ]iiri|i!i- 
cry.  nr  r.slrmir  Mirracc  nl'  llic  larurr  wlirid  ii.i.— i.-  l!irnUL:li  ;i  i:i'catrr 
^ipacf   ill   a   'S\\y\\   tinm  tli.in    tin'   sinallcr — in   ntlirr    wind-    il>    prripli' ly 


llliiVl': 


I'a.stcr. 


al-n  till'  iiiniinii  (if  till'  ('irlli'«  >ni'fn'.'  in  tlir   t'i|ii:itnrii 

III-''  't'l   ill'  '.:ri'ati'r  di.iiiH 


roi.rinns  is  niiicli  iiii'iicr  inan  iicir  lln'  pnlo,  inT 
Jor  III'  llu'  rntaliii'ji  ma-s  at  lli  ■  cijnafnr. 


As   till'   atii 


i>p!l('l't'    lllnVc-     Imili    Wi'-t    In  ca.-t    Willi     llir   cal'lll    111    It-   rnl.l- 


tiiiii,  it  fnll'iws  that  a  ciii'i'.'iit  ><['  air  iiin\iiiu  I'rnin  ihr  pnlrs.  win  i- ■  lln.' 
rntai'y  iimtinii  i>  cnniparativi'lv  >lnw.  tn\vard>  thr  ciiiiainr.  wluri'  th.'  -aiiic 
iiKitinii  ir-  rapid,  iiiu^t  full  luliiinl  the  ninMim  nl  "f  tin'  t;irlli.  and.  in  an 
ol)st'rv(!r    st.itiniK'd    in    its    cniu-M'.    app"ar    In    vwu-    \'vn\    thr   ra.-lwaid. 


'Jdu'rci'nrc.  tlif  ri.',-nlt  nl'  a  imrll 


iri'lv  cnii'i'iit  laliiiiL:  lu'liiml   tlic  rariii  s  iiin- 


tinii  is  tn  prndiirc  a  nnriht'a>t  wind.      ( >ii    llic  nilim'   hand,  llin   n]ipi'r  cur- 
rcnts,  iiinviii^  fmin  the  rciiinii  ^li'  tin'  I'arth's  '^icatot  diaiiit'lir  and  cnii.-i.'- 
(pit'iit   ^realist  nintinii.  tiwards  the  pnlcs,  niii 
rntary  inntinii,  and  app 'ar  tn  an  nl).-t'i'\'.'i'  Inrnim.  IVnin  the  wc-i  ward.    Ilciico 


»l  iiinvc  iiln (III  i<\'  till'  rartli' 


the  rt'siilt  nf  a  .-niulicrU-  cnrri'iit  iiin\  in::  ahead  nl'  tlif  earth'-  n 


inlimi  i>  to 


prndiicf  a  sniithwi'.-i  wind.  IJiil  ihi.-  latter  wind  will  imt  he  felt  in  the 
lower  latitiidts.  luini:'  there  an  upper  enrreiit.  A-  it  iimves  nnithward 
however,  it  heeniiies  enoKr  and  gradually  descend.^  until,  in  the  winter 
when  th(^  .-nil  i>  .-niilli  of  the  eipialnr.  it  rcaeln  s  the  .-iirfaee  in  ahmit  lat. 
iiO^.  ill  the  .-iiniiner.  when  the  -nii  i>  imrth  nf  the  eipialnr  and  the  whnlo 
iiurtliern  henii.'^phere  is  heated  tiji  hy  ils  rays,  thi-  S.  W.  wind  dne.-  iml 
pmhably  reaeli  tlu'  surface  belnw  lat.  OT) ^  nr  T<l".  exi-ept  when  perlimis 
aro    forced  dnwu   by  the  cnnverLieiiee  of  the  uierldians  nl'  Iniii^itude;  hut, 


iiinviii;:   ;ilirii(l  111'  tlid  t';irili'»   fniiin    iiiiitiiiri,  it  -wi- |is  nniiiii'i  i\ic  [»'Io, 
r'liiiiiiL;    a  Va>l    aciiiil    vnMcX.  Mini    iinivr-   ■.niilliwaiil   ,i;:aiii   as  a  imrtliWCKt 


\v:ii(l 


Takiiiu'  ill'  nl'iic   ihc  aclinii  of  -..l  ir  hrai  ami  tlic  iMtavy  iiidtinri  nf  tlio 
irfli.  tn'jvtln  r  with   tlw  ri'VuIiilidii  i.l'  ilir   cjirtli  ardiiinl   tlic  sim.  ami  the 


niiMini 


linll   ipf    it-   a\i».    Iiri'illlriliu    tl 


ir    \  M|,->llUi|i'S  111'  III;     ^casnlix,  \VC  slliPll 


1(1 


iivi'   imIiiI'^.  \  iriali!''  wiiiil-    aiiij  Nri'iical    niri'i'iil-^.  a>  tin'  I'l'siills  nl'  cxpaii- 

■  li'M.  ill  till'   ri|ii  il'irial    ri"^iiiii imifhi'a^t  wiml'   IVmii  tin  ■.•('  tn  la).  'I^t''  or 

!ir— varialilf  w  iml-  wli'  ir   tin'  S.  W .  ciirri'iils  In  ^iu   (■>  rcarli  tin-  >iirla('c 


.1" 


■t  iH'i'th  111' til,'  \.  M.  w  ImK.  ami  ^muliwot  wiml-  in  uiiitrraml  mirlliwfst 


\viiiil>  III  ^iiiiiiii'r    liirtii' !■   miriu.      I  iicsc  (•iiiiiiiiiiiii>  ai'r  i'lii 


iml   til  exist   it 


I'act  \\  h'Ti'Vi'i-  nil 


li-lrimtril  I'V  I'th'T  ili-turl>iii--  I'aii-is. 


lii'ti  ail.  li  iWi'V'T  'if  til'-'  lai'th  Ih'iiil;  a  siminlli  >iirru'(',  ciivorod  l)y  aa 
rr''aii  I'l'  Miiir.riii  il  ['til.  \vi'  timl  cMHiiiii'iit'  ami  i-laml-  nf  irn'Li'ular  shape, 
;iiiil  iim'Vi'iilv  (lir-lriliiii'il.  m'ciiiiyiii.ij'  a  cnii-idcraljli'  jMirtinti  nf  the  surface. 
\'a~t    riil'_vs  jinl    |irak-  li-i'  IV"iii  the  ilry  laiiil  tn  nli-tnict   ami  'livcrt   the 

■>  an  I  caiViii- III' |irM|'iii!i(l  ili'ptlis  iiillir'iiciii^' ami 


\v  iml-,  ami  iMi'i'nW-.  'j:<>v. 


ifl"!!     (■nlltriilllll'J.     till'    iTialllC    (lirrrill-.   MMT 
liivrtinli.       Til'-''    111 


till'  Id'il  III'  ill"  si'a   ill  cvci" 


;k  Mp  till'  iiii'!''riii  .arrial  ainl  ai|iiciiii<  iiinvi'iiu'iits 
-tat'il  ali'i\'i'.  ami  |ii'"iliirr  tin!  S'Tiaiii'i'  CMiirii-ii'ii  nf  riin'i'iits.  wliicli  has 
li  I'll  till'  -tmlv  'if  (Tniial'ilii'.:i-t>  aii'l  |''i_\>ical  ;.'yiiL;raiilii'rs  I'lr  inaiiy  yrai'^' 
ll    caiiii  it    111-  (I'lti'ilril    iliat   th'    ciiili-iiratiiiii   nf   mutiiients    ami 


i-t. 


'1   t 


-!aml-.  .iii'l   tlir   ilir  <i  i"ii   <> 


til'    il""li     '^IMnVCS    ill     til''     li"il    nl'    the    lie. 


au 


irH'lv  lll'lll'llcr   tlir  dlivrt  l"ll  ali'l    N'M'Tlly  nl   1. era  I  lie  ciirri 


It    IS   CiiU-H 


1"1'.  ,'.    tlial  :iii''-liair  if  ill"  at 


iii'i- jilii'i'i'   <iii'riiiim 


.inlrii-.'il    ii\   111"    iir'--iii't'  (' 


,1  Ami  wlicu 
l;ii;.i-  til''  ,t;lnl)''  is 
il,~  I'Wii  wri'jlit  within  a  space  nf  three  nt 
t'.air  mil',-  in  li.  i'_ilit.  Ii-inu'  lul'iw  th''  t"].-  nf  the  hii:lii'\'  ranues  of  imuiu- 
laiii-.  th''  iri',".'iilai-itle,-  nfthe  -iirf.K'''  will  h''  ailniilii'il  tn  materially  atVcct. 
aiiil'V'ii  e'.iiti'nl    the  ilireitinn  ni' tin-  wiml-  ill  their  \ieiniiy,  tn;^"tlicr  witU 

tin     pll''ll"llielia   ilipemlellt  tlu'renll. 


It  ieuiaiii>  tn  e;iii~iilir  th.'  n]ierati.in  n['  ih.'>e  varinu<  eaiises  upmi  the 
(•liniati>  ii\'  the  int'.rinr  ami  we-tern  ena-t  reiiimi-  ni'  the  Ciuitinent.  The 
I'a  ilie  neiiii.  heiiiL;-  the  lar-est  area  mi  the  .-nri'iee  'if  the  ulnhe  which. 
I'l'.  <eiii-  an  rven  .-plmrieal  surface.  sImu'.iI  he  lea>t  sulij"et  tn  the  variatinii.s 


aii'l  in'"'jiilarilii-  wlin/li  are  sn  e 


mininn  m  uin>i  ntlier  Inealities,  a 


ml  slmuhl 


inilicite.  with  the  lea.-l  ili>l urhanee.  the  cll'eets  nf  the  (li>trlhut!nn  nf  snlav 
ll;  at  ami  the  ruLirv  iimtinn  nf  the  earth   in  the   prniluctinii  nf  atninspheric 


aihi  nci.'anic  currents. 


he  iirevailuur  wiml-  i 


'f  the  tciiiperatc  znice,  wlieiv 
iiuiil'-tnieieil.  hiim:  woterly.  >hi:ulil  Liivc  the  racitii'  cna-t  rc;jii>n>  nf  tlii::' 
('"iitiiniit  a  climate  nf  greater  uiiil'innily  ih.aii  that  which  nhtains  in  the 
iuterinr  auil  ca>t'jrn  di.-tricts.     Such,  hv  nhservatinii.  i>  fnuml  tn  he  the  case. 


From  the  C(|U;ttor  tn  lat.  12°  or  1,1'  north.  Ikmiil;  ;t  part  nf  tin-  rrgion 
of  C(|uatorial  cal'iis.  thcro  is  liiit  little  wiml  ami  that  variable.  From 
thenco  to  lat.  25^.  the  X.  K.  trades  prevail.  On  abnut  this  latitude,  the 
upper  southerly  current  begius  to  reach  the  surface  in  winter  and.  nioviiip; 
iu  a  direction  opposite  to  the  N.  E.  trades,  breaks  them  up  and  prodncr.s 
<a  belt  uf  variable  winds  \vhi(di  extends  as  lar  north  as  lat.  ']2\  ]>e\ond 
this  limit  northward,  the  S.  W.  winter  winds,  which  have  now  reached  the 
surface  in  full  force,  sweep  forward  with  almost  uninterrupted  regularity 
wherever  unobstructed  by  surface  elevation.-.  These  S.  W.  \.iiHls.  to- 
gether with  the  oceanic  currents,  which  will  be  treatrd  ol'  presently,  fully 
account  for  the  mildness  of  the  winter--  alonu'  the  I'aiilic  cast  from  San 
Francisco  to  Sitka.  As  I'ar  north  as  lat.  1'.)  \  ilo\ver>  lil'iom  ;inil  vet^etablo 
life  is  active  far  into  the  svinter  ser.son.  ]''rosr  selil 
from  four  to  fifteen  davs  durinti'  the  cut 


111  (■■..iiinues  more  tnan 


th 


ire  winter,  while  ice 


for  domesti 


uses   is   the  cxceiition   rather   than    tlie    rule.      Uul    little  snow  fills,   not 


locomotion. 


T 


le  averau'i'  temperature 


iiiu'   ailvaii'M'S 


cnouiih   to  oltsti'uet  i.r  i'aeilitat 
winter  is  ."•0". 

.\s  the  sun  moves  n"rtliward   ai'i'oss  the   (^ijuator    and   spi 
into  summer,  the  S.  W.  winter  winds  -r.i'laally  die  oni.  or  I'aiher.  iiMve  on 
to  the  north  a-.  o]ii|.  r  curri'iit-;.  beinu'  enii.-tantly  raritied  and   Ik'M   in   >u>- 

'Wer  id' the  sun's  ravs  ;  wliile  lli"  rc'^iuns  bvlow 


pension  by  ll 


le  inerea-in::'  ii 


are 


fanned   bv  v: 


V  v:inalile   hree/es.  nio.-tlv  Iroin    tlie  westward 


ni.-  \'iew   IS 


1    alioiit 


le     MMSOll 


strengthened  by  the  loiiu-dbserved   I'act  that  tln-i'  S.  W.  wind-   lii'.-t    Ih-l:! 
to  disa]>pear  in  sprin:;'  in  tin'  reu'ion  where  thi-y  tir>t  diji  to  the  eartl 
lat.  32"^).  ami  such  disappearanet'  ste.idily  moves  northward   a>  tl 
advances;  while  in  autumn,  they  iirst  .-irike  the  eartii  lar  to  tic  north  .oid 
back   down,  as  it  were,  until   they  sweep  aloui:  the  whol-'   eoast   as   fir  as 
lat.  32°  a.u'ain. 

By  the  first  of  June  the  heat  of  tlu'  sun  is  sufficient  to  carry  these  wind-;, 
as  upper  currents,  northward  to  the  ]iolar  vortex,  where,  movim:'  raiiidly 
in  advance  of  tln'  eartli's  rotary  motion,  they  >weep  .-irouiid   tho  pule  and. 


cnolimr  gradually,  doeeiid  -)iir,al 
N.  W.  winds,      'i'liesi'  winds   are    fe 


V  to  tlie  surlaee  ovrr  V,  iii'Mi    lliev  )ia.->  as 


It   as   lar   soutji    ;i-   Int. 


wlliTe  ta  'V 


enter  the  bell  of 


vanalil 


.-.  but  with  eoii-t:intlv  d  or  a-inu  f'l  r.-e  as  tlie  iii- 


crea^ 


Th 


u'  vel'n-itv  ol    tile  earlli  s  siirriee  overt:iki'>  tle'ir  nioijoii. 
present  is  i.ol  :i  li'.tinu'  oec.ision  to  imluluc  too  lVe"l\  in  .-[lemlat 


lOUS 


*  I  am  .nwnr<^  lluit  llii-  sl.iliMii"Mt  i>  not  (-n'iii'ly  in  ■' ms  'ii.nii'o  witli  thf  |"ii]iil.ir  tliooiirs  of 
tlio  liny,  imr  wi;li  tlh' >|ir.iiliil  i"ii.<  ol  Ai,;ury.  l^iil  ll  H  |pr''-i'iiii-l  :i- aH'Mr.linir.  |M'rh;ui-'.  :i  l"'t- 
tcr  ix]]l;ni;itii.i)  '■!  |.l.iii  luriiii  iis  tlM'V  iiiiiy  !..■  .iK-rrvca  'iii  llp'  I'ai  III''  i,\vhrrr  i.iii  lew  ciiii^i's 
of  di.-turliiiii"!' cNJ-i).  Ill, III  any  .jilicr  \    :  nUc  !■,■  1. 


l)ut  it  may  ho  suiruostod  in  passiiii;-.  tli.it   tlic  iiortlicrn  oxpldratiniis  so  vig- 


OriiU: 


*ly  prosoeiitt'd  in  tlie  present  ■,\'j:<\  may  estalilish  tlie  e.\l^tell(•(!  of  tl 


lis 


inn 


betw 


cen 


tiiiena  oi 
nicna 


atiiiospheric  vortex  north  of  lat.  Tt*'^,  ami  an  intimate  cnnmct 
the  atmospherie  izyrations  tluM'e  snppnseil    tn  exist  :in(l   the  phen 
the  aurora  boredliti.     Tt  is  a  well-knnwn   laet    tliat   ek'etrieal  plu 
usually  accompany  rntary  movements  lA'  thr  air. 

During  the  heated  term,  from  June  to  Oetuher,  these  X.  "W.  winds  pre- 
vail along  the  coast.  Coming  iVnm  high  latitudes  and  sweeping  over  a  cold 
ocean,  they  are  cool  and  dry.  mnililying  the  heats  ni'  summer  and  reducing 
the  average  temperature  to  aiiuut  (1 1"".  'i'h''  nights  are  specially  n.iticeahle, 
lieinu'  clear  and  deliciouslv  enol ,  thus  eiiabliiii:  nature  tn  restnre  the  eiier- 


tie 


s  exhausted  duriui^  the  dav- 


Tl 


lis  efiual 


bilitv  of  climate  ( .'li')^  in  winter  am 


1  (-;  r 


in  summer')  <^ives  the 


residents  of  the  Clla.■^t  districts  ;ind  esp/cialiy  nf  Paget  Snuiid.  the  winter; 

of  Niirfiilk.  Xn..  the  summers  o!'  Xnva  St 

temperatur. 


;ia.  and  tlie  same   mean   annua 


i'ekin.  liinelin.  X.'W  Vnrk  and  Ch 


lea'i'i. 


hi'   loeatmn  ot 


these  great  capitals  on  thi>  isothermal  wa<  not  the  result  ol'  accident,  nor 
wholiv  of  topographic  m-ee-sity.  'eit  lar'^'','l\'  ol'  man's  intuitive  jierceptions 
in  determining  the  belt  of  tlie  ea;lh'<  >urfaee  lirst  adapied  to  his  physical 
1  intellectual  development  hy  promoting  li.'iltli  .mil  li':igevit\  and  stiinii- 


niK 


Uinu-  tiie  hiLiiie-t  activitn 


X 


liUre  liei'seii    ieis  il 


:nati 


he  loeali 


tv  of 


the  great   empnriiun  of  the   I'aeitiv'.  and   it    i-  the  •■vid  lit    dostiny  of  the 


tenninal  c.tv  on    |'ui:'et   >>oun 


1   t. 


wi'i'tliy  of  it>  p 


ice  as  a  link  iii   tlie 


capital  chain  winch  encircles  the  worM 


An  application  of  the  principal  eau.-c  whicli  produce-  lhi>  moderation  of 


temp  "ratiire  mi  the  P.icilic  coast  t 


o  \our  own  loeaii 


tv  will  render  the   fore- 


going statements  more  en 


dihle.      VoU   have  douhlles-   ohservi'd   that  the 


continuance  of  southerly  winds  for  a   few  ilays   in  winter  always  brings  a 
thaw.      Were  tl 


lese 


winds  ronttnwiitn.  as  thi'V  art 


the    i*aeitic  coast  at 


tl 


lat  season,  your  win 


tiM's  W(Uild  he  neiirlv.  if  not  unite,  as  mild  .is  ours  ;  the 


anner  won 


Id  forget  to  provid"  hay  for  his  cattle  and  tli"  eartl 


id  h 


1  would  Deal 


n  earin 


■t  of 


perpetual  verdure 


were   voiir  north\v;'>terlv  summer 


Avinds  constant  during  the  heated  t  ■riii.  like  oui>.  your  atino>tp!iere  would 
continue  iVosh  and  cxliilarating  and  your  wiitering-plac-s  ;ind  >ca->hore  re- 
sm'ts  W(nil(l  he  deserted,  for  the  d'ui-^tar  would  rag 


e  m  \ain. 


Tlie  causes  which  [n'odinv  atnio-pherie  movements,  al.-o  di-tnrh  the  ([uiet 


A'   th 


e    ocean. 


All    sul)>lance-    expind   li 


v    In  at  —  w.iler   a>   well   as    air 


nlthou'zh  to  a  iniieli    !e; 


movements    in    thi>    northern 


^xtcnt.      Hence  ari>c   the  two   ju-ineipal  oceanic 
— ih'    •■(lull'  Sti\M:n"   and   the 


leniispn'M'i 


'■-lapan  Current."      In  the  great  euuldron  of  the  torrid  zone,  the  water  is 
heated  even  as  high  as  S.')^.      it  eonsenuenily  expands  ami  \V)\\>  off  to  the 


10 


coiilrr  n'uiiius — its  pliicc  h 
tl 


ic  iKirtii. 


lini:'  su|iji1um1  by  coKIlt  iiiiil  liciivicr  water  from 
Tlii^,  tn-itlicr  with  tilt'  uix'at  auiduiit  nt'  ('i|uatiirial  precipita- 
tiim.  is  liuliovrd  t»i  prtuhuH'  the  (n'caii  curiviits  n{'  mir  liciuisjiliere,  which 
are  eruwded  aiiaiiist   thi,'  eastern   >liiiivs  nt'  Imth  ruiitliu'uts  l)y  the  iiiutiou 


_if  tl 


le  oartli.  tiiitil  tluv  rrarli 


It.    I 


S^  til  .)(»'-'.  \v!n'ri 


>v  their  luntiiiu 


ljrlll<r 


ill  excess  <<{'  that  n!'  tlic  rartii,  ;iiid  hy  riHMUiiti  riii;i-  iimre  elevated  plati'aus 
(if  tiu'  iiceaus'  li.'ds.  ilny  are  drtlci-tcd  i'a.~l\vard  and  bi't'ak    U[iiiii  the  (ippo- 


-ite   e(ia>t;- 


til. 


rcsp.vtiN. 


iMitiiieiits. 


UliiVi 


•liieiit    (»f    tlir   (Julf 


Stream  is  wrll  iiuderstniid 
(1 


aviii 


the  Carildu'aii  Sia  and  (lulf  (if  3Iex 

b 


ice. 


erica!!   enast.  urailuallv  uecdiiiiiii;-  au 


it  iniives  imrtlicastwarii  almiL:  th"  Aui 
(ifi'-shiire  eiirreiit.  until  it  inipiup  -  iip^ai  the  i:raiid  bunks  nf  Ncwfdiiudlaiid, 
where  it  is  delli.'cled  tn  ihc  ca>r\\arii  and.  ninvinu'  almn:'  the  snuthcrii  de- 
clivity (if  the    phitcaii   iipiiii   which    tiic  (.cean    cable   {rmii   ^'ir_l:iIl   bay  to 


A'al 
I- 


eiicia  rests,  eni-so  the  Atlaniic  and 


hre. 


ur 


A 


mrtiiin  I 


if  its  V 


nllUlh 


escaiiiii 


upmi  the  sill  ires  of  \\'e>ter 
dat 


u 


il;  iiver  tiie  plateau,  ukjvcs  aluiii;- 


the  northern  coast  of  Ireland  and  western  coast  of  Scotland. 

Here  we  have  a  niauniticeiit   river  of  warm  water  carrying  the  lieat  of 


the  tr 


opics  to  more  friuid  region 


This  heat  is  retained  intact  to  a  ureat 


degree  until  the  current  breaks  upon  the  .-lioros,  where  it  is  set  free,  and 
being  carried  inland  by  the  prevailing  westerly  win'ls.  render.s  all  of  Cen- 
tral and  Northern  Kumpe  habitable.  Were  the  (iu!f  Stream  arrested  in 
its  How,  the  (Jerina.  would  bccunie  a  fnizeii  ocean,  the  Ihatish  island.-^ 
would  become  another  Labrador — would  eea.se  to  grow  wheat  and  barley, 
d  the  people  Wuubl  be  ubliged  to  eniiLirate  or  perish  in  a  frozen  wilderness. 


an 


While  the  Atlantic  has  its  ( 


jUl 


'treain,  the  Pacific  has  one  as  much 


grander  as  the  ocean  thro"ugh  wdiieh  it  fl  iws.     This  is  called  the  •■Japan 
^'urrent."      It  takes  its  rise  in  the    Indian  ocean,  moves  northward  alotn' 


the 


eastern  .shore  (A'  Asia,  as  the  Atlantic  (lulf  Stream  huirs  the  American 


shore,  until  it  strikes  upon   the  Aleutian  Islands  and  Alaskan   iVuiinsula. 
Here  it  is  divided.      One  portion  moves  northward  through  Ikhrini 
and  straits,  eastward  throuL:h  th  ■  Arctic  ocean,  southward  throuiijh  Baffin'^ 


sea 


lay 


an 


d  1) 


ivis 


■^traits,  and  still  siuthw.ird  aloiiu'  our  Atlantic  coast,  uivi 


us  culd  northerly  and  ea-'  rly  winds  and  good  fish.     This  accounts  for  the 
abundance  of  iccberiis  in  the  Atlantic  while   none  are  ever   seen    in   the 


Pacific.     The   Japan   current, 


owiriL 


oceaa  an 


d  f  I 


from   the   Pacific   into   the   Arctic 

om  thence  into  the  Atlantic,  carries  all  icebergs  with  it. 

The  other  and  much  larg(!r  ji'irtion  of  the  Japan  current  is  bent  siutli- 

ward  by  the  elevated  bed  of  I5eliring  sea  and  the  Alaskan  p'.minsula.  and 

flows  aloim'  the  western  coast  of  America  as  an   off-shore  current,  until  it 


strikes  umoii  Cape   .^Iendoeinll,  in  Califnniia.  wdiere  a  portion  turns  aga 


in 


north 


wan 


as  an   immense  in  snore  ei. 


J'b-: 


wnue 


tl 


le  rem 


aind 


er  moves  oq 


11 


southward,  until,  by  its  greater  epocific  gravity,  it  sinks  beneath  the  sur- 
face, and  is  hxst.  The^e  currents  are  evidenced  by  the  experience  of 
navigators.  Vessels  loaded  with  lumber  ou  Puget  sound,  and  bound  for 
8au  Francisco  uud  other  parts  of  the  world,  sometimes  encounter  srjualls 
and  have  to  be  relieved  o^"'  their  deck-loads.  If  this  occur  within  fifty  or 
sixty  miles  of  shore,  the  lumber  floats  northwardly,  towards  Alaska ;  if 
at  a  distance  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  it  floats  southwardly,  towards 
Mcndiicino.  This  Japan  current  does  not  part  with  all  its  caloric  during 
its  entire  circuit  of  many  thousand  miles.  The  volume  of  water  in  mo- 
tion is  so  wide  and  deep,  that,  after  havinu'  parted  with  several  degrees  of 
its  heat  along  its  uio"e  northerly  course,  it  scarcely  varies  two  degrees 
from  ( Jueen  Charlotte's  Island  to  San  Francisco — a  distance  of  more  than 
a  thousand  miles.  Nor  does  the  summer  elevate  nor  the  winter  lower  its 
temperature  to  a  greater  extent.  Observations  show  that  5(P  in  winter 
and  52^  in  summer  are  about  its  average  temperature. 

Perhaps  no  other  portion  of  the  Pacific  coast  is  influenced  to  the  same 
extent  in  its  climatic  conditions  by  the  Japan  currrent  as  the  districts 
boidcring  the  waters  of  Paget  sound.  This  interior  body  of  tide-water, 
extending  nearly  two  hundred  miles  inland,  having  sixteen  hundred  miles 
of  .shore  line,  covering  at  least  two  thousand  square  miles  of  surface,  of 
great  depth  and  ramified  by  bays,  channels  and  inlets  in  every  direction, 
has  an  average  tidal  rise  and  fall  of  about  twelve  ieet — the  extremes 
boinir  eight  and  twenty-tour.  Calculating  the  area  of  the  sound,  it  will  be 
I'ou'id  that  lifty  thousand  million  cubic  yards  of  water  are  p)ured  into 
■.i,ud  out  of  it  i)y  the  tide  every  day.  In  mid  summor.  when  the  other 
conditions  would  produce  a  temperature  of  'JO",  this  vast  body  of  water 
lit  5:i-  is  poured  in  daily,  and,  being  :)>i-  colder  than  the  surrounding 
atmosphere,  at  once  absorbs  a  portion  of  the  surplus  heat,  and  thus  aids 
the  cool  northwe.-t  breezes  in  keeping  the  summer  average  duwn  to  G4^. 
In  winter  the  same  volume  of  water  at  50^  parts  with  its  surplus  caloric 
tthenever  the  atmospheric  temperature  is  below  that  fiiiure.  and  thus  u:ds 
the  warm  southerly  winds  in  keepiu'j:  the  winter  average  up  to  S[)°. 
Hence,  it  will  be  perceived  that  Paget  sound  acts  as  an  iujuiense  Jwitcr 
to  moderate  the  rigors  of  winter,  and  as  a  rt'fn]/rnifijr  to  cool  the  air 
dar'U'j;  the  heated  term.  This  body  of  water  is  changed  at  each  ebb 
and  How  of  the  tide.  The  in-shore  current,  M'hich  sweeps  jiast  the 
mouth  of  the  straits  of  Fuca,  carries  the  outflow  olT  to  the  northward, 
and  each  ilrod-tide  brings  into  the  sound  a  fresh  supply  of  water  ol'  uni- 
iVirm  temperature  with  the  Japan  current. 

Proceeding  inland  from  the  coast  regions  of  the  Pacific,  the  flimate 
rapidly  becomes  modified.     Many  i.^olatcd  localities  have  climates  peculiai* 


12 


to  thcm?)elve!',  so  that  it  is  impossible  to  state  many  general  facts  of  equal 
applicability  to  tlie  whole  country.  As  a  rule  it  may  be  stated  that  the 
extremes  of  heat  and  cold  increase  inland,  but  in  no  regular  ratio,  nor 
upon  given  lines  of  latitude.  Two  groat  disturbing  causes  produce  these 
irregularities — the  lofty  mountain  chains  which  traverse  the  country,  with 
their  spurs  and  angles,  and  the  difference  of  altitude  of  the  interior 
plateaus. 

A  hundred  miles  inland  from  the  coast,  and  parallel  with  it.  stands  a 
lofty  chain  of  mountains,  known  as  the  Sierra  Nevada  in  (^difornia,  and 
as  the  Cascade  range  through  Oregon,  Washington  and  Ikitish  Columbia. 
The  southwest  winds  of  winter,  striking  this  ranee  at  an  obtuse  ande, 
are  bent  in  their  course  and  ultimately  deflected  to  the  west  of  north, 
giving  them  on  land  the  direction  of  southeast  winds.  The  upper  stratum 
only  of  this  current  escapes  over  the  summit  of  the  range  to  modify  thi> 
climate  of  the  interior.  The  Kocky  mountain  range — the  vertebral 
column  of  the  Continent — has  a  general  course  east  of  south  and  west  of 
north.  It  is  broken  into  more  than  a  hundred  ridges,  which,  with  the 
subordinate  ranges,  lie  in  every  possible  position,  and  at  all  points  of  the 
compass.  These  give  direetiun  to  the  prevailing  winds  and  modify  the 
local  temperature. 

The  interior  of  the  Cuiitiiient.  west  of  the  longitude  of  Omaha,  is  a 
vast  inclined  plane,  declining  to  tbe  north.  The  elevation  at  the  northern 
end,  in  the  latitude  of  the  river  Saskatchewan,  is  not  much  over  l.OOO 
feet  above  the  sea.  Southward  the  surl'ace  steadily  rises — the  (ireat  Salt 
Lake  region  and  1,]0(»  miles  of  the  CDinn  and  (\'ntral  Pacific  Railroad 
being  nearly.  ">. 000  feet  higli — ■i,00(»  feet  higher  than  the  tops  of  the  Alle- 
gheny Mountains,  while  the  two  summit  levels  on  that  route  are  over  7,000 
and  8,000  feet  respectively.  Further  south  the  table  lands  increase  in 
height  until,  upon  the  plains  of  Me.vieo,  the  altitude  is  about  8,0(10  feet. 
Ii  is  well  known  that  temperature  diminishes  about  three  degrees  for  each 
1,000  feet  vertical.  It  will  thus  be  perceived  that  from  this  cause  alone, 
the  region  of  the  Sa.skatehewan,  in  British  America,  is  12°  warmer  than  it 
would  be  had  it  the  elevation  of  the  I'nion  I'acitie  Itailmad  and  2  [°  warmer 
than  if  it  had  the  altitude  of  tlie  plateaus  of  Mexico.  The  Northern  I'aeitic 
Railroad  has  an  average  eliivation  o.dllO  I'oct  less  than  the  Cnion  I'aeiliL', 
while  its  summit  levels  respectively  are  o.OtlH  and  4.II00  feet  lower.  This 
difference  of  altitude  alone  compensates  for  the  dilferenee  of  latitude. 

Rut  there  are  other  causes  which  fiperate  to  render  the  winters  in  the 
vicinity  anil  to  the  nortliward  of  the  4I)th  parallel  less  rigorous,  in  pro- 
portion to  their  latitude,  than  those  in  the  districts  further  south,  one  of 
which  may  be  stated  here.     The  two  principal  chains  of  mountains  before 


i:; 


referred  to  attain  tliuir  ^Tcatest  clevutinu  butwcon  the  thirty-sccouJ  and 
forty-fourth  parallels  of  latitude.  Further  north  they  are  less  elevated 
and  present  m;iny  low  and  broad  passes.  In  thiiir  loftier  sections,  the-se 
mountains  operate  to  shut  off  the  v.^arni  S.  W.  winter  winds  from  the  in- 
terior and  to  defleet  them  to  the  \.  W.  alonjj;  the  coast.  As  they  sweep 
on  to  the  northward,  the  mountain  ridires  l)ecominir  lower  and  the  pnps 
wider,  they  escape  over  the  summits  and  throujih  the  passes,  and  thus 
distribute  a  portion  of  their  heat  over  the  more  northerly  interior  districts. 

The  constant  flow  to  tlie  eastward,  <lurinii  the  winter  season,  of  a  great 
"river"  of  war?ii  uir  through  the  more  northerly  passes  of  the  Koeky 
Mountains,  was  observed  and  discussed  several  years  since.  Lieut.  Mullan, 
of  the  United  States  Army,  who  spent  some  time  in  that  country,  detected 
its  existence,  noted  its  widtli  in  soin;'  ]ila('c.- and  .sought  to  account  for  it. 
He  attributed  the  elevated  temperature  of  this  current  to  the  number  of 
vrarni  .springs  near  the  sources  of  the  Missouri,  Yellowstone  and  Columbia 
rivers.  This  explanation  of  course  was  wholly  unsatisfactory.  As  well 
might  we  expect  to  find  a  similai'  cunent  of  warm  air  to  the  eastward  of  the 
city  of  New  York  as  the  result  of  the  lieat  escaping  from  the  chinniey 
tops  of  that  city.  This  atmospheric  '■  <uill' Stream"  is  evidently  a  portion 
(if  the  great  .south-westerly  eurrout  which  sweeps  around  the  world  in  the 
temperate  zone — as  a  surface  wind  wherever  unob.-itructed,  but  principally 
as  an  upper  current  wherever  olistructed  by  mountain  chains  and  continental 
mas-i-es.  These  currents,  ddleetcd  upwtird  by  mountain  ranges,  often  rc- 
tir.n  to  tlie  surfiice  and  produce  very  marked  elVects.  Upon  the  great 
jilateau  of  the  Columbia,  during  periods  of  severe  frost,  the  S.  ^V.  wind, 
wliich  has  escaped  over  the  summit  of  the  Cascade  range,  sometimes  dips 
to  the  surface.  At  once  the  snow  melts,  the  frost  disappears  and  the 
temperature  becomes  mild  and  genial.  As  soon  as  the  carrent  ascends, 
the  frost  returns  and  winter  resumes  its  sway.  These  occasional  currents 
are  known  as  "  Chinook  winds"  and  have  been  the  subject  of  much 
speculation. 

The  warm  southwesterly  winter  winds,  escaping  over  the  lower  portions 
of  the  Piocky  Mountains,  "drawing"  through  their  northerly  passes  and 
(■preading,  like  a  fan,  over  Kastern  Montana,  Dakota  and  the  extensive 
regions  of  the  Saskatchewan  and  As>iniboine.  together  with  the  lower 
elevation  of  the  more  northerly  districts,  give  them  a  mildness  of  climate 
both  incomprehensible  and  inerediide  to  those  who  liave  given  the  subject 
no  [lartieul.ar  attention.  l>ut  theory  and  observations  both  unite  in  attest- 
ing the  fact  that,  from  the  i'acitic  coast  eastward  to  the  Mississippi,  the 
winters  increase  in  severity  upon  any  given  parallel  where  disturbing 
causes,  like  mountaiu   chains  or  general  surl'aee  elevation,  do   not  inter- 


u 


vcno.  Thus  St.  Paul  is  the  coldest  point  of  oqu;il  elt.'vation  botwcon 
the  Mississippi  and  i'uLTot  >ound  on  lliat  piiralK'l.  Indocd,  Deor  Lod^o 
pass,  the  hinhost  suuiinit  mi  tlie  line  of  the  Northern  racilic  Railroad, 
affords  no  lower  tlienuoniotric  vawj^v  than  St.  Paul. 

To  compare  the  unfamiliar  with  the  familiar,  and  thus  convey  a  hcttor 
practical    idea  of   the  temperature  of  the  northern   belt  across  the  (,'un- 


tinent.    it    niav    hi 


^talL■d    that    tl 


m 


iiritimc   districts    of  Washinuton 


Territor}'  and  Oreiron   have   tiie   winters  of   Xorfdk,  Virginia,  and    the 
summers  of  Nova  Scotia.      Ivistern  Washimrton,  northeastern  Oresron  and 


northern  Maho  about  the  summer  and  winter  tomperatur 
rth 


cs  ol'  central  and 
uortheru  Penir^vUania.      Montan:i  and  western  Pakota  assimilate  in  avi  r- 


auc    trmi'i'ratuit 


to 


X 


t.'W 


V:>rk 


and 


Connecticut,  but    the    valirv~    nf 


Miiiitaiia  lia\i'  vrvy  lilt].'  -n^'W,  and  cattl'  tlirTi'  ri'(|uiri'  neither  winter  fiTil- 


iMu  U'lr 


>llrh 


tT, 


Kastern  Pikuta.  Saskatchewan  and  .\ssini})oii 


ic  arc  vcr' 


nil 


ich  like  M 


mnesota  in  temperature,  altliougti 


nnewhat  milder  than  the 


eastern  portion  of  tluit  State. 

llavinii  rapidly  noticed  some  of  the  more  prominent  conditions  of  tem- 
perature in  the  rcirion  under  c  insidcration,  with  tlunr  causes,  it  remains 
to  con-iidcr   hi-^tily    the   Mibj.'cL   of  p-iriji'f^ifi'i/i.     The   (juestion   of  the 


amount  (jf  m  )i.>tuve 


d  ■ii'..-ited 


:innu  i 


lly 

mount    intere-t  to  thosi'  wjio    contemplate 
lleat  and   ninisture  u'ivc  fiTtility  to  the  s^il 


7' 
up  Ml  a  ixiven  area  is  one  of  para- 


.'ttlenuMit   m  a    new  country. 


It 


mitters  little  how  sterile 


(list 


1   (listnct   m  IV  o,'   in    \\_r,  eaiiv 


irmutio:i.  i 


ese  elements  exist  in  due 


f  th 
proportion,  ultimate  t'ertility  must  be  the  result. 

The  intra-montane  and   western   portions  of  (Uir  Continent  derive  their 


'i'l 


ICl'C, 


moisture  trom  the  va>t  mter-tropica!  reLiviis  ni  the  Pacific  ocean 
where  the  teiiqier.iture  i.-  luLih  ami  the  water  surface  extensive,  an  incon- 
ceivable amount  of  nioi-ture  is  taken  up  by  s.dar  evaporation.  In  the 
northern    hemisphere  this  is   carricil    iiorthw.ird    by  the  upper   southerly 

1 


current  of  air.  begins  to  descend  with   that 


1.S 


th 

Condi 
cipitu 


en  carried   inl.u 
nsation.      It  fo 


d 


tb.e 


current  in  about  lat.  •']()' 
d    de 


am 


>outhwe<;  winter   winds,  and    deposited  iiy 


d 


ow.>  tliat  aloie. 


th 


<t   the  amount  of  annual  prt 


itioii  will  dejteiel  lai'Lieiy  upon  tlie  duration 


A'  these  winds.      For  the 


reasons  alreadv  uiven.  thev  continue  l,in.r(  st  in  the  hiiih  nortliern  latitude 


w 


bile  in  the  vicinity  of  lat.  ."»0~  they  last  but  a  few  weeks. 


A 


ccor( 


lim;ly 


we   tind  that  in  Sunora  and    i^ower  California   the  [tcrind  ol'  precipitation 

does  not  cxeeed   four  or  live  inches.     This 

in  PicLio,   California. 

t    Astori:i, 


IS  very  short,  and  tlie  ran 

steadily   increases    northward,  beim:'   te'u  inches  a 

twenty-two   incl 


at 


an 


!• 


raiici>co, 


venty-eiL'ht    inciics    a 


Oregon,  and    nearly    ninety  inches  at   Sitka,    in  Al\ska.     The  local  s 


ur- 


15 


rouiulings  of  the  last  two  [ilacos  ^^ive  tliein  a  rain-fall  some  twenty  inclies 
iu  exci'SH  of  that  exclusively  due  to  the  prevailing  winds. 

South  of  lat.  W^,  where  the  N.  K.  trades  prevail,  and  the  atmos- 
pheiio  nioveiiient.s  are  fruiu  the  land  to  the  sea.  distrieth  are  fnund  which 
are  almost  rainless.  It  is  doubtl'ul  whether  artificial  processes  can  ever 
materially  clian<:e  this  condition.  Tree-plantiiiLT  niay  increase  precipita- 
tion where  uioisturebearing  winds  prevail,  which  only  require  to  be  par- 
tially arrested  and  sli;j,htly  cooled  in  orde-r  to  deposit  their  moisture.  IJut 
iu  districts  such  as  those  under  con.'^ideration,  the  atnujsjdieric  currents 
being  undercharged  with  moisture,  all  artificial  aids  to  precipitation  must 
prove  futile,  or  at  least  but  partially  successful.  The  \'iceroys  of  Kgypt, 
during  the  first  half  of  the  present  century,  planted  a  large  area  with 
trees  in  the  delta  of  the  Nile  and  quadrupled  the  rain  fall  of  that  district. 
But  the  prevailing  wind  of  Kgyjit  is  from  the  Mediterranean  sea,  up  the 
Nile,  and  the  moi.sture  intercepted  is  a  part  of  that  which  was  on  its  way 
to  be  precipitated  on  the  mountains  of  Abyssinia. 

Along  the  maritime  districts,  from  Sun  l-'rancisco  to  Sitka,  but  little 
snow  fulls,  except  upon  the  coast  ranges  of  uioufitaiii,  the  southerly  winds 
and  ocean  currents  keeping  the  temperature  too  high  to  permit  its  for- 
mation. 

In  the  spring,  when  the  southwest  winds  are  succeeded  by  breezes  from 
(he  west  and  northwest,  the  weather  clears  up  and  the  dry  season  sets  in 
and  continues,  interrui»ted  by  occasional  showers,  until  early  autumn. 
Those  summer  showers  are  more  fiecjuent  to  the  northwanl,  and  totally 
disappear  south  of  lat.  1"J^.  The  dry  season  o!'  the  coast,  and,  indeed, 
also  of  the  interior,  is  the  result  of  two  causes  acting  together.  It  has 
been  stated  that  the  summer  winds  are  from  the  northwest.  Ciiming  from 
a  small  and  cold  ocean,  where  the  process  of  evaporation  is  slow,  these 
winds  are  cool  and  comparatively  dry.  As  they  move  southwardly  and 
inland,  they  receive  a  constant  increase  of  temperature,  it  is  a  well- 
known  fact  that  the  capacity  of  atmo.-[iheric  air  to  rctuin  moisture  iu- 
crea^es  with  elevation  of  temperature.  While,  therefore,  these  breezes 
may  distill  occasional  showers  in  more  nm'thern  and  cooler  districts,  a« 
tlicy  move  south  and  inland  they  become  gradually  heated,  their  capacity 
for  moisture  increased,  and,  instead  of  ]iarting  with  any,  they  actually 
liip  up  what  little  surface  nmisture  is  found   in  their  course. 

A  parallel  instance  is  found  in  the  constant  northerly  wind  of  the 
valley  of  Kgypt,  which,  coming  laden  with  moisture  from  the  Medit^ir- 
ranean,  fails  to  deposit  it  in  the  valley  of  the  Nile,  owing  to  the  constant 
increase  of  temperature  southward  to  Aby.-slnia,  ujion  whose  mountains 
it  is  eventually  precipitated. 


10 


Thoso  X.  W.  winds  di'pitsit  sulRciotit  moisture  alun^^  the  iiiaritiiiio  dis- 
tricts of  |{riti>h  Culiiiubia.  Washiii-tnii  and  Oregon  to  mature  crops  of  all 
kinds — the  late  spriuj;  and  early  autumn  showers  rcinlevinu  artitiriid  irri- 
jjration  unnecessary.  In  most  parts  of  Calirornia,  artificial  j-rocesses  have 
to  he  resorted  to  for  the  production  of  bullions  and  tuherous  roots,  and 
indeed  all  das.-es  of  veiiotation  save  the  cereals,  which  mature  before  the 
dry  season  cuts  them  off. 

East  of  the  ^reat  Sierra  Nevada  a..d  Cascade  ran^e,  the  N.  \V.  winds 
of  summer  are  partially  excluded,  and  no  moisturebearinu'  currents  take 
their  {daee  for  a  period  of  from  five  t(j  nine  months,  annually,  according 
to  the  latitude.  North  of  lat.  t.")',  the  .«prinL,'  showers  mature  most  of 
the  crops  and  artilieial  irriiiation  is  resorted  to  only  for  the  gardens. 
South  of  that  line  irriiratioii  b»H;omes  necessary  for  the  prii(luction  of  any 
sort  of  vciretation,  except  aloni:  the  low  uiarLiln  of  streams  which  take 
their  rise  in  the  loftier  mountain  ranges  and  whose  flow  is  made  peren- 
nial by  the  melting  snows. 

It  is  probable  that  tree-planting  may  increase  the  am(nint  of  summer 
precipitation  along  the  northerly  portion  of  this  vast  interior  region  a3 
far  south  as  lat.  4o^,  but  further  south  the  heat  is  so  great  and  the  atmos- 
pheric currents  so  dry  that  it  is  doubtful  whether  forests,  unless  upon  a 
scale  of  great  magnitude,  would  reduce  the  temperature  and  improve  the 
other  conditions  snlheient  to  cause  precipitation.  Indeed,  it  is  equally 
doubtful  whether  tree-culture  itself  could  be  made  successful  except  along 
the  margins  of  the  lew  I'eeble  streams  whose  constantly  diminishing  waters 
are  finally  lost  in  the  sands  of  the  desert.  To  the  candid  mind,  therefore, 
it  appears  almost  certain  that  southeastern  Oregon,  southern  Idaho,  all  of 
Nevada  and  Utah  and  a  large  portion  ol'  Colorado  and  Wyoming  must  re- 
main as  now,  hot,  arid  and  treeless  wastes,  covered  with  sand  or  iiicrustcd 
with  saline  and  alkaline  matters,  with  occasional  tracts  of  bunch  grass 
and  sage  brush  (artemisia ),  exee{)t  in  the  isolated  localities  where  irriga- 
tion is  possible. 

North  of  this  region  of  desolation,  throui:h  southern  British  America, 
I'akota,  Montana,  northern  Idaho,  Wa>hington  and  northeastern  Oregon, 
the  solar  heat  is  less  intense,  the  earth  contains  less  saline  and  alkaline 
matter,  the  surface  is  more  diversified,  forests  fre((uently  appear  and  ex- 
perience has  already  demonstrated  the  existence  ol"  a  eliniiite  adiptcd  to 
all  classes  of  vegetable  life  necessary  i'lr  human  subsistence.  Still  IVom 
the  causes  .'•tated,  largo  di>tricts  of  country  far  to  the  imrth  are  dry  and 
unsuitable  for  cultivation.  These  tracts  however  are  clothed  with  bunch 
gra.ss  (the  most  nutritious  of  all  grasses)  and  will  afford  '•  range"  for  in- 
numerable herds  of  cattle  and  flocks  of  sheep.      It  is  a  common  practice 


17 


with  tuauister.-i,  tMigau'cil  in  transporting  military  and  other  stores  to  the 
interior,  to  turn  out  their  cuiaeiated  and  exhausted  cattle  in  autumn  to 
fceek  their  winter  food  as  best  they  may  upon  tliese  natural  pastures.  They 
invariably  iiiid  these  cattle  in  sprin'/  thomughly  recuperated,  in  i,'ood  con- 
dition and  well  prepared  I'or  another  season's  labor — thus  demonstrating 
the  <|uality  oi'  the  pasturajre,  and  the  additional  important  fact  tliat  the 
amount  of  snow  deposited  does  not  materially  interfere  with  stock  grazing. 
Concurrinu'  testimony  may  be  found  in  the  countless  herds  of  buffalo  that 
winter  in  these  northern  re^iuns,  even  as  high  as  lat.  51°. 

In  winter,  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  Cascade  range  of  mountains  ariests 
the  S.  W.  winds  and,  like  an  ice  pitcher,  eondeases  their  moisture  which 
falls  uj)on  its  summits  and  shipes  in  the  form  of  snow.  The  greatest 
(Idpth  oi'  snow  will  be  found  where  this  atmospheric  current  is  first  and 
most  completely  arrested,  whieli  is  along  the  loftier  portions  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada  between  lat.  .'Jl^  and  42'^.  Hence,  the  name  of  these  mountains — 
''Deep  Snow  Range."  After  the  moisture-bearing  winds  have  been  bent 
from  their  course  and  deflected  to  the  \.  \V.,  they  deposit  their  moisture 
along  the  maritime  districts  principally  in  the  form  of  rain.  This  will 
account  for  the  diminution  of  snow  northward.  The  upper  stratum  of  the 
moist  S.  W.  wind  which  escapes  over  the  summit  of  the  range  is  drier 
than  the  lower,  and  barely  carries  moisture  sufhcient  to  spread  a  thin  coat 
of  snow  over  the  interior  plateaus  and  a  thicker  coat  upon  the  lofty  peaks 
of  the  Kocky  Mountain  ranges. 

A  similar  action  of  highlands  upon  moist  utninsphcric  currents  may  be 
observed  in  Australia,  where  the  mountain  range  which  encircles  the 
Continent  at  some  distance  from  the  coast,  intercepts  the  wind,  precipi- 
tates its  muisture  and  makes  an  arid  desert  of  the  interior  plateaus. 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  the  snow,  which  never  falls  to  any  great 
depth  upon  the  intra  montane  districts  of  our  Continent,  imperceptibly 
but  steadily  disappears,  even  during  periods  of  severest  frost.  With  the 
thermometer  far  below  the  freezing  j)oint,  so  that  no  melting  can  take 
place,  the  breezes  seem  to  lap  up  the  snow  until  the  surface  becomes  en- 
tirely bare.  This  is  probably  attributable  to  the  extremely  dry  atmos- 
phere, which,  in  the  coldest  weather,  with  the  aid  of  the  solar  rays,  is 
constantly  taking  up  moisture  I'rom  the  surface. 

East  of  the  Itoeky  mountains,  and  well  to  the  northward,  a  new  element 
enters  into  the  climatic  combination.  The  N.  W.  summer  winds,  which 
cross  the  Continent  from  the  north  Pacific  and  Behring  sea,  meet  with 
but  little  obstruetion  l-i  passing  over  the  low  and  comparatively  level  dis- 
tricts of  the  north,  until  they  reach  the  region  of  Saskatchewan,  Assini- 
boiue,  eastern  Dakota  and  Minnesota.     Here  they  encounter,  face  to  face, 


18 


a  portion  of  the  N.  E.  trades  from  the  Atlantic,  wliicli.  as  it  enters  the 
Caribbean  sea,  is  diHecteJ  north  by  the  lofty  chain  of  the  Andes,  passes 
into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  thence  northward  up  the  Mi.«*si.ssippi  valley. 
Wherever  the-^e  opposint:  atinosplioric  enrrciit.s  meet — the  one  Cdol  and 
dry,  the  other  warm  and  nmist — copious  precipitation  must  ensue.  This 
meeting  of  the  winds,  and  consefjuent  summer  rain-fall,  take  place  in  the 
re}];ion  referred  to  and  account  for  the  anomalous  fact  that,  in  those  dis- 
tricts, the  summer  precipitation  exceeds  that  of  winter.' 

It  will  be  perceived  from  the  foregoint?  statements,  that  the  hvM  of 
country  from  the  Mississippi  to  the  Pacific  ocean,  havinj:  the  best  climate, 
and  consei(uent  greatest  fertility,  lies  between  the  44th  and  r)4tli  parallels 
of  latitude.  Without  being  too  cold  to  develop  the  highest  activities,  it 
is  more  generously  supplied  with  moisture  than  any  portion  of  the  country 
south  of  it.  This  is  the  great  cereal-producing  belt  of  the  West,  and 
experience  has  long  since  demonstrated  that  human  beings  gather  iu 
greatest  numbers  where  food  is  most  abundant  and  cheapest.  The  future 
must,  therefore,  witness  the  rapid  settlement  of  the  region  in  question, 
and  its  early  occupancy  by  many  millions  of  our  race. 


*  Note.— TliDSC  ill. -iri Ills  (.f  liiir.^iiinir  thi>  oiil>i''i't  nf  rlliiiiitc  thriiii^li  tlio  IMi-Jis.-iiiiil  Val- 
ley a  ru  rcfcrrotl  tn  I'rnics.<iir  Foslof's  •• -Alis.si.-.-iinii  \'iillcy,"  i  iililisln'il  l._v  S.  ('.  (.Jiigg.'*  dc 
Ci).,  C'liifug",  ti  most  iuU'icsiiiig  book,  and  uiii'  \vliii.'li  will  ri.'p:iy  a  earclul  iiL'rii«al. 


f  "   :   . 


;er8  the 
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valloy. 
!ool  auJ 
.  This 
3  iu  the 
osc  (lis- 

bt.'lt  of 
[jliiiiate, 
)arallel.s 
ities,  it 
country 
jst,  and 
ther  iu 
;  future 
lestion, 


Ipiil  Val- 


